Category: HOME

Fall Mantel Roundup

By Katie Laughridge From Tribune News Service I love to walk the shop floor early in the mornings before anyone else has arrived. It inspires me. As I walked the floor recently, I was awestruck by the one thing that tied each room together: fall foliage. While I might be a bit biased, our florals…


Remove Texture Paint

A texture finish can call attention to a not-so-remarkable wall or ceiling, but if that rustic surface isn’t your style you can remove it. However, the job is a time-consuming and often messy project. The fact that it’s tedious is another issue. The project is ideal for a newbie DIYer, because it’s work that requires…


Ask Angi: How Can I Prep My Home for the Holidays?

By Paul F. P. Pogue From Ask Angi Nothing says “festive” like creating a warm and welcoming home for guests and visitors during the upcoming busy holiday season. The influx of people and activity provides you with an excellent opportunity to put your home’s best face forward. Read on for insights on making a guest-friendly…


Best of Treasures: Schuco Cars Need Original Accessories to Enhance Value

By Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson From Tribune News Service Dear Helaine and Joe: I have enclosed photographs of two toy cars I would like to know more about. I received these Schuco Radio cars about 1950. I have two, and one is in better condition than the other. Are they rare or collectible? Thank…


Build a Rail Fence

A rail and post fence is one of the easiest fences to build. Its horizontal rails fit into pre-cut holes in the fence posts, so they go together like pins in a slot. Originally, it was a fast way to keep livestock from straying into a nearby homestead; today, its natural good looks make it…


6 Incredible Dog Transformations

If you’re a puppy owner, you must have realized by now that they don’t all come fully trained and ready to be the picture of obedience. In fact, tiny pups can be rowdy, messy, and unruly. If allowed to stay like that, they can grow into nasty dogs who bark at everything that passes down…


Couple Turn Rocky Hillside Into Mega Food Forest, Provide Home-Grown Food to Community

Two years ago, a California family took up a huge garden project to beat the pandemic blues. Together, they transformed a scrubby hill into a food forest that is now providing plenty of fresh food and fruits to their friends and neighbors. Mom of two Taylor Raine Koutroumbis and her husband, Stelios, worked hand in hand…


Grind, Grind, Stop: Garbage Disposal Cleaning, Maintenance, and Repair

By “taking out the trash,” a garbage disposal creates a healthier kitchen and, ultimately, a happier home. Just think: When you toss a banana peel into the trash can, it immediately begins to decompose, attracting bacteria, germs, and perhaps bugs. It’s much more sanitary to dispose of food waste down the drain. To do so,…


Quiet Acoustic Tiles Are Easy to Install

Dear James: It gets too noisy in the kids’ playroom. Are acoustic ceiling tiles difficult to install myself, and are there attractive ones made for home use? — Michelle Y. Dear Michelle: Most people like the sound-deadening characteristics of acoustic tiles, but then they think they must look like those big, ugly tiles in a…


Cats Especially Sensitive to Black Widow Spider Venom

Q: Our indoor-outdoor cats are fascinated by the spiders and spider webs around our house. I am concerned that some of the black, shiny spiders may be black widows. Are black widow spiders dangerous to cats? A: Cats are especially sensitive to the toxin of the black widow spider, the most venomous spider in North…